Organizing

Organization is something that I always battle with.  I was so extremely organized when I worked.  No one could believe how I could find things that no one else had a clue of.

Now I put things away for safe keeping - well it's often quite safe, because I have a hard time finding it again!!!  Please tell me I am not the only one.

I am really on a mission to get things totally organized before the end of the year.
Organizing can incorporate many things.

**De-cluttering really helps with organization.  Less stuff - the easier it is.  I mean how many sour cream and cottage cheese cartons and catsup bottles does a person need to keep for storage and leftovers?  I got rid of tons of this kind of stuff earlier this year - off to recycle it went.
Make sure you are using what you keep.

**Place like items together.  When organizing your pantry, extra food storage, drawers, closets, etc. - make sure like items are together.  Whether it be soups, canned veggies, scarves, socks, undies, towels, you name it!

**Hide things you don't use often.  Place them high up in cabinets, out in the garage, or in storage in the basement.  There is no since if keeping things out that aren't used often (like that turkey roaster or canner).  Use your space wisely for daily used items.

**Get creative with your storage.  Don't forget about back corners of closets, under the bed, under sofas and chairs, the garage (for anything that can freeze - paper and dry goods).  Add extra shelves to closets.   Purchase small plastic storage boxes at Dollar Tree for extra spice jars or small items in the pantry.  These type of containers stack easily as well.

**If kids are involved - don't forget to have them go through toys before the holidays to "re-gift" to children in need.  Good for us adults to do as well!!!!

This past weekend I decide to put some jars I had to good use.  I have a small kitchen, so any added storage to keep things close at hand is needed.

I utilized several jars for storage on my microwave stand (actually an old wash stand with a top added).  See that cabinet above the microwave?  My daddy made that when he was 12 (1926) for his momma.  She returned to him as an adult, and mom and daddy used it as a medicine cabinet for years.  Mom gave it to me 30 years ago, and I use it for all my flavored extracts.  It has been repainted, but still has the original hardware.
The wash stand, has 3 drawers and a door in it, that is used for storage as well.

This large tote is in the basement.  It contains a lot of the extra pasta and dried beans I have stored back.  I put the one pound bags of beans in old ice cream containers (like items in each), then placed those in the tote.  Larger bags are stacked.  The tub in front is clearance chips for baking this holiday - it goes in the tote as well.
Totes with locking lids like this would work great for beans and pasta in the garage as well.

This sits in front of the bar that was once an entertaining area in the basement family room.  The back side of the bar now is used for extra storage as well, since we are no longer 'party animals'!!

Do you have book shelves that have books that can be donated that you can use for storage?  You could always cover with a pretty curtain to hide your goods.
An extra bathroom that doesn't get used? (I wish).  Use the cabinets or even the shower or tub area for storage.  A pretty shower curtain can hide a lot!

These are just many random ideas that can be used for getting your life organized.  Sometimes it can be very over whelming, I know.  Just get started in one small area, then do another, and another, and pretty soon you will have your home organized.

Organization can also SAVE YOU MONEY!  If you know what you have and where you have it, you will use it and not waste it, and you won't be making unnecessary purchases.

GET ORGANIZED AND STAY FRUGAL!